I Hope That I Don't Fall
by weirdgirl42
Summary: My version of Sara and Grissom's first meeting.


_Author's Note: I don't own CSI or the song "I Hope that I Don't Fall in Love with You." I am making no profit whatsoever. The only spoilers are that Grissom and Sara met in San Francisco when he was giving a seminar of some sort. Enjoy!_

**I Hope that I Don't Fall**

Grissom sat in the corner of the bar nursing his Guinness. He wasn't sure why he had let James talk him into coming out that night. But since he was only going to be in San Francisco for a week, his old college buddy had insisted they go out at least once to catch up.

"Come on Gil," he'd said. "I know all you do in Vegas is work. You're on vacation, well for you, live it up a little."

Grissom had not been able to think up a suitable excuse so that night after his last lecture he let James drag him to one of the local bars. They'd rehashed their old college days, or James had rehashed while Grissom listened and nodded or laughed in all the right places. He was beginning to realize that while James had been a good friend in college the last 17 years had made it impossible for them to really connect on any level. Grissom had found his passion in bugs and solving crimes, never fully satisfied until he could solve the puzzle put before him. James had decided that working an administrative job at for the SFPD.

Just as Grissom was about to inform James of his flight tomorrow and call a cab back to the hotel a high pitched laugh pulled his attention to a table across the room. Suddenly James's voice blended with the din of other voices and awful music belting from the jute box to become dull background noise as he recognized a woman at the table as one of the attendees at his lecture that afternoon.

"Hey Gil what're you staring at?" James asked. When Grissom didn't respond right away he followed his friend's line of sight and then grinned.

"Ah yes. Works for the crime lab. I think she's like a receptionist or something. She's really hot but not a lot going on upstairs if you know what I mean."

"Really?" said Grissom. "She was at my lecture today. She was the only person who didn't look like they were falling asleep. She asked some pretty good questions too."

"She asked some pretty good questions? Amanda? The blonde on?"

Grissom hadn't even noticed the blonde girl, apparently the owner of the high pitched laugh, sitting next to the woman from his lecture. "No the brunette. With the leather jacket."

"Oh," said James. "No that's Sara. Sara Sidle. She's a CSI. Total nerd, workaholic…actually she'd be perfect for you."

Grissom hadn't been paying attention after James had said her name.

_Well I hope that I don't fall in love with you  
'Cause falling in love just makes me blue,  
Well the music plays and you display your heart for me to see,  
I had a beer and now I hear you calling out for me   
And I hope that I don't fall in love with you._

She was beautiful. With her dark hair that caught the light of the bar and the gapped-tooth smile that shown as she grinned at one of her friend's jokes. But what he noticed most were her eyes. He had noticed them that afternoon at the seminar, and the way their depth seemed to hold untold mysteries. He also noticed that her smiles never quite reached her eyes. Though he was certain none of the people she was with could tell.

He watched as she scanned the room, only half paying attention to the conversation at her table. He should have known it was inevitable that she would catch him staring. And when she did she squinted slightly before excusing herself from her table and walking towards his.

"Dr. Grissom?" she said when she reached them. Then noticing his companion, "Hey James."

"How's it going Sidle?"

But Grissom could see that Sara wasn't paying a lot of attention to James. James seemed to notice this as well and decided to make his exit. "Hey Gil I'm gonna go talk to one of the Sergeants who just walked in. I'll catch up with you later?"

Grissom knew what James was doing but god help him he couldn't find the words to stop it. So he just nodded. Once James was gone he wasn't sure what to do. Should he offer Sara a chair? Would she even want to sit with him? What if she did want to sit with him?

"Dr. Grissom I know you're not teaching right now but would you mind

It took Grissom all of a second to make his decision. "Of course. Have a seat. And drop the 'Doctor,' Grissom is fine."

_Well the room is crowded, people everywhere  
And I wonder, should I offer you a chair?  
Well if you sit down with this old clown, take that frown and break it,  
Before the evening's gone away, I think that we could make it,  
And I hope that I don't fall in love with you. _

They talked for almost an hour. Sara's questions were intriguing and challenging. Not something he was used to from the level 1 CSIs who came to his lectures. After he had answered he questions about the seminar topic she began asking him about the lab in Las Vegas.

There was just something about her. About the way she smiled. About the way her eyes lit up when he spoke about some of the new equipment the lab was testing out. About the way she didn't even seem to notice that her hair fell into her face when she told him about some of the more interesting cases she'd worked on. He found himself having to fight back the urge to reach forward and brush it out of her eyes.

Eventually James came back to the table and Sara stood. Staring for a moment at her empty seat he couldn't understand why he suddenly felt so empty. He didn't even know this woman. When she turned to rejoin her friends he stopped her.

"Miss Sidle!" he called over the din of the bar. Sara turned and he held out a business card. "If you have any more questions," he said as a way of explanation.

Sara took the card and for a moment her fingers brushed against his. He had always hated when people in movies made such a big deal of small touches like that. But he swore his whole arm warmed at her touch. She looked back and forth for a moment before grabbing a napkin off the table and a pen from her jacket pocket. Scribbling something down she handed it to him.

"If you're ever in town again," she said. With that she walked away.

James whistled as he sat back down. "Told you you'd be perfect for each other. Too bad you go back to Vegas tomorrow."

"Yeah," replied Grissom, not really paying attention. His eyes followed Sara back to her table. He watched as she lit up a cigarette. He had kicked the habit years ago but watching her he wondered if it would be worth starting again just so he could bum one from her.

_Well the night does funny things inside a man  
These old tom-cat feelings you don't understand,  
Well I turn around to look at you, you light a cigarette,  
I wish I had the guts to bum one, but we've never met,  
And I hope that I don't fall in love with you. _

He and James talked for another half an hour or so. But Grissom's mind was never really on the conversation. He was watching the table across the room out of the corner of his eye. He noticed that while Sara was sitting with four other people who were laughing and telling stories, she still looked…lonely somehow. Something told him that she didn't go out like this very much.

When he got up the courage to actually turn his head and look at them he realized that not only had everyone else at her table left, but that she was looking back at him. When she caught his eyes she immediately looked away but not before he noticed the smile on her face.

He weighed his options. James was making talk about getting home to his wife. He could grab a ride with his friend back to his hotel or he could tell James he'd get back on his own. It wasn't him, wasn't him at all. He wasn't the kind of guy who acted impulsively. Who went up to women 15 years younger than himself. And yet he found himself telling James he'd catch a cab.

She had been looking at him. Had smiled. He was dense when it came to relationships but he could read people well enough to know she was interested. He just hoped she didn't expect much from him.

_I can see that you are lonesome just like me,  
And it being late, you'd like some company,  
Well I turn around to look at you, and you look back at me,  
The guy you're with has up and split, the chair next to you's free,  
And I hope that you don't fall in love with me. _

After James was gone Grissom heard the bartender yell last call. He ordered another Guinness and downed it in only a few gulps. If there was ever a time for liquid courage it was now. Grasping the table and taking a deep breath he stood and looked over across the room.

The table was empty.

Grissom's shoulders sank. He reached into his back pocket to retrieve his wallet. After throwing a 20 on the counter and telling the bartender to keep the change he walked out of the bar.

It was November and the chilly air was a comfort to a man who lived in a desert for most of the year. He glanced around, hoping that maybe he could see her walking away. But the street was empty. She must have called a cab after her co-workers had left.

Reaching to put his wallet back in his pants his fingers brushed over something in his pocket. Pulling it out he realized it was the napkin. Unfolding it for the first time he grinned. _**Sara Sidle 415-555-0394 Wear a flower in your hair.**_

Taking his wallet out again he slid the napkin into one of the folds. There was no explanation for what this woman made him feel. And for the first time since he was a child, he didn't really need one.

_Now it's closing time, the music's fading out  
Last call for drinks, I'll have another stout.  
Well I turn around to look at you, you're nowhere to be found,  
I search the place for your lost face, guess I'll have another round  
And I think that I just fell in love with you._

The End

_Please leave reviews. I love them so!_


End file.
